Millions in France Protest Raising Retirement Age to 62

People demonstrate on June 24, 2010 in Paris, during a nationwide day of strike called by unions to protest against the pension overhaul. The bill raising the retirement age from 60 to 62 is due to be voted on in September. (Fred Dufour/AFP/Getty Images)

Massive strikes across France against the government’s plan to raise the retirement age from 60 to 62 to help fight France’s deficit, hindered daily life on Thursday.

Workers from both the public and private sectors joined hundreds of organized protest activities, reported AFP.

Bernard Thibault, head of France’s biggest union CGT estimated “about 2 million” protesters turned out. About 1-in-5 civil servants did not go to work, shutting the doors to some schools.

Authorities said 50 percent of train service was interrupted coming in and out of Paris and 15 percent of flights to city airports had to be canceled Thursday morning.

Striking print workers asked national daily newspapers to scrap their Friday editions.

On June 16, Labor Minister Eric Woerth announced plans to raise the retirement age to 62 by 2018 as part of a program to save the country US$55 billion.

Unions say the proposal puts an unfair burden on workers. Woerth said Wednesday the reform was “necessary and fair” and the government would stick to its plan. The bill will go before cabinet next month and Parliament is scheduled to vote on it in September.

In 1995, Paris had to drop a savings program after weeks of strikes.

France currently has one of the lowest retirement ages in Europe.